Carnesale Leads Double Life As Provost, Dean

Although Albert Carnesale may be leading a double life, he shows no sign of being torn apart.

In fact, the provost/dean seems to be juggling his roles with a sense of humor.

The University's second provost since World War II has placed a set of wooden boxes labeled "In." "Out" and "Too Hard," on the hardwood table beside his Massachusetts Hall office door.

It looks like he hasn't faced anything "Too Hard" yet--that box is empty.

Carnesale, who was appointed last May following the surprise departure of former Provost Jerry R. Green, is still serving as dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Half his time is spent in his newly decorated Massachusetts Hall office. He posses the other half in his old digs at the Kennedy School.

"To some extent I'm running up against (the fact) that you can't be in two places at the same time," he said Friday.

Carnesale said he hopes to be able to settle in at Mass Hall soon. He said he and the Kennedy School faculty, many of whom are already taking concerns to academic dean Alan Altshuler rather than Carnesale, are eager for a successor to be appointed.

President Neil I. Rudenstine said last week the search is down to a "short list" of about a dozen candidates, but he refused to give a time limit for the search.

Carnesale said that while he is not on the official search committee, he has played a active role in the search for his replacement at the Kennedy School.

"I think things are going well and that they're surprisingly eager...to know who that new dean will be," Carnesale said.

He admitted, though, that splitting time isn't necessarily the most efficient way to get things done.

"If you could devote all of your energy to one thing or the other you would certainly get more done there than otherwise," he said.

Carnesale can't even divide his week, with Mondays here and Tuesdays there. Individual days are being split in half.

"The first faculty meeting of the academic year [at the Kennedy School was] this morning." Carnesale said. That same afternoon, he was in Mass Hall for his first press conference as provost.

"Of course, now at the beginning of the academic year is when you're most active wearing both hats because there are a certain number of things that just have to be done at the beginning," he said. "You can't meet with the new faculty in advance. You have to meet with then when they get here."

Provost's Focus

Carnesale has taken time out of his busy schedule to redecorate his office--somewhat.

Gone from its prominent spot over the fireplace is the traditional waterprint of old Harvard Yard. In its place is a vivid oil abstract by Milton Avery.

Also departed are Green's hulking desk and sleek, Powerbook. Carnesale said he will soon learn to use a word processor and answer his own electronic mail--he does, after all, have a background in science.

But for now, Carnesale is taking laptop technology literally--he has several chairs, but no desk.

To some degree, the half-completed state of his office reflects his involvement his new job. Although Carnesale has already began working with the University's new inter-faculty initiatives, he said he really isn't focusing on any particular per projects yet.

"The summer was, in large measure, a learning curve, trying get up to speed on issues...with the...people with whom I've not worked closely in the past...and how I might provide the maximum value added to the institution," he said. "In my case, I'm building upon what Jerry Green had done, but I'm not Jerry Green.

During his tenure, Green worked on reorganizing the University's benefits system, studying certain aspects of science policy and guiding Harvard's link to the information superhighway.

Of course, Green also helped with the capital campaign, a duty that Carnesale has taken on eagerly. Although he has yet to make any fundraising trips on behalf of the University, instead of just the Kennedy School, Carnesale said he has several planned.

I've already met with the executive committee of the Committee on University Resources...to discus to me of the fundraising objectives of the center, you might say, of the University," he said.

Carnesale has also met with the leaders of the five major initiatives for interfaculty cooperation, including Mind, Brain and Behavior and Schooling and Children.

In fact, one of Carnesale's major roles as provost could be to bring to fruition Rudenstine's dream of unifying Harvard's many and varies schools.

"Our objective should be to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts," he said. "It is my responsibility now...to try to recommend what I believe will be the best system of governance for (the initiatives)."